Josie Maran Protect Daily Sun Protection Argan Oil Infused SPF 40+

I couldn't wait to order this new sunscreen when it debuted on Sephora. I'm always looking for an all-physical block that is lightweight, high protection, and wears well under makeup.

After my disappointment with the John Masters SPF 30 Natural Mineral Sunscreen (it stayed thick and tacky on my skin though I do love several of his hair products) I had been grudgingly using Neutrogena Pure and Free Baby Sunblock Lotion SPF 60. There were many things I really liked about it--fragrance free, a blend of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide sun filters, lightweight, never broke me out, paraben free, allowed makeup to easily blend over top, water and sweat proof and reasonably priced--but the first ingredient was alumina and that never sat well with me.

The Josie Maran is 2 oz for $32. "Protect Daily Sun Protection is your skin's first defense against premature aging. This natural formula physically blocks UVA rays that can cause up to 80% of premature aging. It also blocks the harmful UVB rays that we encounter on sunny days or at the beach. Unlike traditional sun blocks, this natural formula is infused with Josie's signature ingredient, Argan Oil, which repairs and reverses damage caused by the sun, fights sign of aging, and improves skintone for a radiant, renewed complexion. This sun block is extra mild and fast absorbing and it can also double as a great makeup primer. Protect Daily Sun Protection is lightweight, Paba Free, and for all skin types."

This sunscreen is indeed light for an all physical block, which by their nature are thicker than chemical sunscreens. I find that this does sink in pretty well and does not leave the skin sticky, allowing blush to blend decently well over top. I've been using it for several weeks and have not broken out nor has it let my face get any color despite walking around out in the sun quite a bit. The scent from the product is all natural and comes from the apricot kernel oil in the product. I'm not a fan of scents in skincare, but this smells delicious, has not caused irritation and dissipates extremely quickly. I also like that this is packaged in a dark glass bottle with a pump to keep the formula fresh and the antioxidants potent. My only complaint is that the active ingredient percentages are not given. For those of you sensitive to silicones, this does contain them but the product definitely does not have that tell-tale silicone based feel that, say, the Nia 24 sunscreen does. If you're looking for a "natural," all physical sunscreen for sensitive skin I recommend this one!

Ingredients:
Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Hexadecene Copolymer, Decy Oeate, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isopropyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Organic Argan Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Capryl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol, Camellia Sinesis Leaf Extract, Organic Aloe Barbadnesis (Aloe) Leaf Extract, Organic Chamomilla Recutina (Matricaria) Extract, Organic Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Oil, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Natural Fragrance (Apricot Oil).

One other option? The new LAVANILA The Healthy Sunscreen SPF 40 Face Cream. It has great reviews on Sephora and will be next on my list!

Ingredients:
Zinc Oxide 5.0%, Titanium Dioxide 7.5%, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice* (Aloe, Water), Capric Caprylic Triglycerides (Coconut Oil), Butyrospermum Parkii* (Shea Butter), Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol (Coconut Oil), Jojoba Oil*, Ethyl Hexyl Palmitate (Palm Oil), Morinda Citrifolia (Noni Juice), Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Flower Extract*, Panthenol (Provitamin B5), Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate (Vegetable Glycerin/Palm Oil), Alpha Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Allantoin (Vegetable), Sodium PCA (Amino Acid), Hyaluronic Acid, Phenethyl Alcohol & Ethyl Hexyl Glycerin (Plant-Based Preservatives), Vanilla Planifolia (Vanilla) Extract*, Green Tea Extract. *Certified Organic

Some Products I'm NOT Loving Right Now

With all of the products I buy, of course I come across a product now and then that turns out to be a dud. Often I'll return them, but sometimes I end up stuck with them, either because they were not returnable or I kept them in a desperate attempt to make them work for me. Here are a few products I'm current not liking:

• Chantecaille Luminous Eye Liner in Pianissimo- this liquid eye liner is a stunning blue gray shimmer with a hint of violet. I'm a huge liquid liner fan and this color is extraordinary, but the formula is so thing that you have to draw over the line repeatedly to make the color show up uniformly and opaque. It's thin and streaky looking otherwise, and the line never looks sharp and precise when you have to draw over it so many times.
• Paul and Joe Pain D'Epice 27 Lipstick- this one breaks my heart. I adore this color. It's the most perfect shimmery beige pink and just looks so lovely on the lips. The problem is the smell! It smells like old crayons! I initially assumed that I purchased an old tube so I returned it and went through all of the remaining stock, only to find that all of them smelled this way. I've never heard commentary about the scent of Paul and Joe lipsticks before, I can only surmise that either this color has the horrible scent, or I encountered a bad batch. I keep trying to wear the lipstick despite the smell because I love the color so much, but after a while I can't take it anymore!
• Alba Mango Vanilla Moistuizing Shave Cream- I picked this up at Whole Foods recently because my goodness does this smell heavenly! Tropical and fruity with a mango vanilla coconut scent. This shave cream feels thick and rich when you spread it on, but it clogs the razor terribly and is difficult to rinse off.
• John Masters Organics SPF 30 Natural Mineral Sunscreen- this is an all-physical block that claims to be very light. I found it to be just the opposite--it sat on top of my skin, made me greasy, and clogged my pores. This is definitely a product when the description makes the product sound much better than it is!
• Laura Mercier Evolution of Color Lip Palettes in Pink Suede and Brown Suede-I spotted these on display in Bergdorfs last year and thought they were so lovely, I couldn't decide which to get. So I ended up with both. I have no idea why I decided to buy two since I never use lip palettes, as evidenced by the fact that these are virtually untouched over a year later. Now I have two lovely, albeit expensive, objet d'art taking up precious space among my makeup that will probably never be used.

What duds have you tried lately?